Awake
by Sammy Automatic
Summary: Chloe is woken by an alarm and goes to investigate what could be causing it. Chloe/Rush


Awake by Sammy Automatic

I don't own Stargate Universe, obviously. I write for enjoyment only, and not money.

* * *

_For planet p_

Chloe was jarred awake by a shrill alarm sound which was giving her a splitting headache as she rubbed the lingering sleep from her eyes and wondered angrily what Rush had done this time. She slumped and gazed at the weave of her blanket for a moment and wondered if someone was rousting Rush already and, if not, she was going to kill him for setting off that damned alarm.

"I AM AWAKE, DAMN IT!" Chloe yelled at the ceiling before thumping both her fists on the bed angrily on either side of herself before grabbing the end of the blanket and flinging it off herself and accidentally off the bed as well.

She stalked around the other side of her bed and yanked the blanket off the floor before unceremoniously throwing it on the bed and stomped out of her bedroom bare footed. She was going to wrap her fingers around that stupid Scot's throat if he didn't stop that head splitting racket this god damned moment. She'd since decided she was going to find Rush and make him fix that alarm or ring his neck.

* * *

She found Rush just where she'd though he'd be in the console room – or that's what she liked to call it – but she stopped dead in her tracks at seeing Rush, with her mouth agape. There stood Rush on the console table, his legs slightly apart to ensure he wasn't stepping on any buttons, gazing at the roof as though fascinated but also slightly angry. But that wasn't what had stopped her – Rush was wearing some strange buckled up boots that reminded her of something a Goth would wear and not a scientist who for some reason was still standing on the console. A moment later he jumped off the console table and stood gracefully before returning to the console.

"Blasting Ancient junk!" he growled angrily before smacking the console rather harshly and Chloe just stared wondering what had gotten into him and why she was staring at his tush to add.

"Is there something I can do for you, Miss Armstrong?" Rush asked angrily, before looking over his shoulder at her.

"Stop that dratted alarm!" Chloe replied just as angrily back.

"Just what do you think I am trying to do," he replied sarcastically back before smacking something on the console again.

"Well you better stop it fast or I'll..."

"You'll what Miss Armstrong – slap me again?" Rush asked. "Or horribly maim me? Well guess what – I really couldn't give a toss and I don't much care for your dramatics either so zip it and let the scientist try and fix this blasted problem," Rush rambled on. "Oh, and I mean in _peace_," he added sarcastically, pressing buttons again and engrossed in what he was doing and suddenly all noise from the alarm ceased and Rush sighed heavily before slouching and leaning against the console casually and rubbing his hand over his face as though he was tired.

Chloe stomped over angrily and looked at Rush for a moment before looking at all the Ancient words cascade by on the console; words that meant nothing but garble to her, though evidently Rush had more of an idea as to what they meant.

"About bloody time!" Chloe grumbled glaring at Rush who looked up at her looking tired and looked back down at the console. "I thought my brain was going to start haemorrhaging," Chloe grumbled again.

"Good for you, Miss Armstrong," Rush said distractedly, and when she looked at him she noticed he was reading the Ancient language.

"What was the alarm anyway?" Chloe asked.

"The screen seems to be jammed," Rush replied in a monotone.

"What screen?" Chloe asked looking confused.

"The ancient screen thingy in the roof," Rush replied before walking around the console and gazing at the roof.

Chloe followed and gazed at the roof to stand next to Rush who quite suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her backward and up against himself. Chloe wanted to strangle him for touching her till she saw something fall down past in an explosive shattering sound and was thankful that she'd not been hit by it.

"So much for the screen," Rush mumbled before letting go of Chloe who didn't want him touching her any longer and stepped away before feeling Rush grab her hand and pull her back against his chest though this time she was facing him and more than angry and felt a very strong urge to slap him one, though her thought was pierced by more shattering sounds and she gazed at Rush for a moment before looking around herself to see five shattered canisters laying shattered around them and what was worse some yellow glowing substance was leaking from them that looked wispy and almost like fog. Even worse was that fact that she had bare feet in a room full of shattered glass and that odd substance was leaking towards her. Oh no, this was not good not good at all, and if that wasn't bad enough an alarm split the air.

"CONTAMINATION ALERT!" the automated voice said.

Chloe was panic struck as she watched the yellow wispy substance drift towards her and looked at Rush who was also staring at the substance creeping across the floor towards them.

"Rush, I don't like this," Chloe mumbled as she watched the progression of the substance towards her then looked back at Rush and didn't want to have to ask him to pick her up so she wouldn't get any off it on her. After all they didn't know what it was but she didn't like it. Nor did she ask Rush for anything.

"AUTOMATIC CONTAINMENT IN FIVE MINUTES!" the alarm blared.

"Rush," Chloe said, panic stricken.

"Chloe put your arms round my neck," Rush said in a no-nonsense kind of way as though he'd been around military people a lot and Chloe stared at him for a moment before lifting her arms and putting them around his neck as he'd instructed her to do.

"I am going to lift you off the ground okay so I need you to wrap your legs around me for support," Rush explained gently, looking into her eyes.

"No way in hell am I going to do anything of the sort, Rush," Chloe retorted back.

"Look Chloe we don't know what that substance is on the floor, for all we know it could be very harmful and I don't want you getting any off it on you. Next time I suggest you wear some shoes too," Rush explained and she felt that urge to slap him one good well up again but refrained as he was right, it could be potentially very harmful.

"Look Chloe we don't have time to argue about this, if you want to hit me then so be it, but do it after we get out of the room. The automatic containment is going to lock us in otherwise," Rush explained to Chloe who was just staring at Rush.

"FINE!" she growled. "But so help me god, if you touch my backside I will smack you one," Chloe said before yelping startled that Rush had picked her up as Chloe held on tight to him wrapping her legs around his waist.

"If you say so, Miss Armstrong," Rush replied nonchalantly.

"If you drop me I'll strangle you," Chloe threatened as Rush held her up and stepped away from the yellow misty-like substance.

"I am not going to drop you, Chloe," Rush whispered gently next to Chloe's ear and she squirmed at feeling his warm breath on her skin.

She heard the crunch of the glass splinters as Rush stood on them and away from the yellow mist which seemed to move after them.

"Um, Rush, it's following us," Chloe said, panicky, as Rush carried her across the console room and toward the door a little faster before letting her go gently so she could stand on her own two feet and without a word hit the button on the side of the door to close. It seemed like it took forever to close the door but in reality it was only a couple of seconds. They both stood back and Chloe grasped Rush's arm tightly as the yellow mist continued toward them and finally the door closed though some of the yellow mist had got through. Rush and Chloe backed off up the corridor watching the mist wearily and suddenly it was on top of them and swirling around both their feet.

Chloe instinctively grabbed Rush and wrapped her arms around him as the mist swirled around their feet and suddenly the mist had just disappeared. Chloe looked scared and looked up at Rush for answers who was just as puzzled. They both looked down again and Chloe was relieved that it was gone and loosened her hold on Rush. She didn't know why she still had her arms around Rush though as she relaxed against his chest as though she was no longer scared of touching him; it felt good to be held be another human and to hold another back.

"Are you alright, Chloe?" Rush asked sounding concerned and she looked up at him to see something she was not expecting to see in his eyes, a yellow almost glowing ring around both of his irises. Rush gasped and stared at her and in a weird turn of events she had a sudden urge to kiss him instead of slap him so that was exactly what she did. She pushed Rush up against the corridor wall and kissed him.

Before she knew it Rush was kissing her back as she ran her hands down his back and onto his backside giving his tush a gentle squeeze as she continued kissing him.


End file.
